FRIDAY, TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
2 Kgs 25: 1-12 Ps 137: 1-6 Mt 8: 1-4
HOW SHALL WE SING THE LORD’S SONG?
When we look back at the story of salvation, it becomes especially interesting to us believers rooted in faith in Christ. In the first reading, we see the destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of the elite of Israel to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. Running parallel to this event is the prophecy of the prophet Jeremiah, warning the kings of Judah to obey Yahweh’s message and surrender to the enemy, so that they would grow in their interior faith even as their world fell apart. Through the prophet, God was trying to tell His people not to focus on external strength in dealing with their enemies, but rather to avoid sin and receive grace through the purity of their souls. God would fight for His people in supernatural ways, but the people failed to understand. Yet God is always faithful to His covenant. He is ready to save His people.
When in exile, the people remember their God, and they long to return to worship in Jerusalem. “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” says the psalmist. History shows that because of the faith and trust of a few people who were purified by their trials, they returned to their land under the guidance of Zerubbabel, a descendant of King Jehoiachin and an ancestor of Jesus.
The story of salvation continues with you and me. We too long for God’s saving grace, especially when we are in a state of sin and the Holy Spirit convicts us to return to our loving Father in heaven. Jesus is here to save us from all evil powers. We need to pay heed to His word. Obedience to God’s commandments is a sign of our love and trust in the Lord. From our experience of God’s faithful love, we become confident that God will protect us from all dangers. As Christians, we are assured of God’s faithful love to the end through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Response: O let my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not!
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